Doing Fieldwork… at Santo Daime rituals…1

1 This photographic essay is posted in Facebook since 2009.

<https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.211979891859.143685.551091859&type=3>

Céu das Águas! This is how this Santo Daime's church is

called. It was built in 2006, when members gathered and

bought a little piece of land for building the church. This

picture was taken by Sandreana Melo, who works as my

research assistant (along with 3 more other students). I

conduct this ressearch among three different religions that

use ayahuasca in rituals here in Alagoas (UDV, Essência

Divina and Santo Daime).

This document is hanging on Céu da Águas church wall, and authorizes Santo Daime

rituals practices. It is from CEFLURES (Fluent Universal Ecletic Light Cult's Church),

one of Santo Daime trend (whose founder is Padrinho Sebastião Mota). It is signed by

Padrinho Alfredo (President of the Superior Doctrinal Board). This athorization is dated

on 30th of March 2003.

"Viva Padrinho Sebastião!" This is a way of expressing joy during rituals breaks, when

one may shout "Viva..." to guests, children, saints, nature, etc. and others will

answer, saying "viva".

Padrinho Sebastião's picture is on the table where "the Daime" (ayahuasca) was given

(it was inside the empty large pot). By this table, men had stood on the right side,

and women on the left, in order to drink cups of this "tea" that is usually served by

the one who conducts the ritual. All Santo Daime rituals are conducted with women

and men siting apart on oposite sides of the room.

This picture was taken during a Concentration ritual, which happens every 15th and

30th day of the month during at least four hours, when through one hour everybody

stays quietly meditating (under "concentração"). During all Santo Daime rituals, the

first two "despachos" (expression used to refer to the ayahuasca's servings) has to be

drunk by the participants. Usually it is served three times during this ritual.

This is a kind of drum. It has several symbols used in Santo Daime religion, such as:

six-pointed star, caravaca cross, humming birds (which simbolizes Mestre Irineu, who

received all the Santo Daime hyms and doctrines). Other musical instruments like

guitars and specially maracas are played during Santo Daime rituals.

I took this picture and worked in photoshop.

at home... This is a picture of a table, when Concentração ritual happened before Céu

das Águas church was built. From 2003 'till then, rituals took place on different spaces

where people made them available for rituals. Three rituals happened at my house. I

considered a blessing to have rituals at home. I have always felt expanding goodness

through Santo Daime rituals, as Earth healing practices.

The ritual is realized around a table, with candles, flowers, saints, cross, rosary... The

picture shows booklets where the hyms are printed, so participants may follow and

sing the music played (which were received by Mestre Irineu and Padrinho Sebastião).

Rituals are realized with hyms being sung. A green maraca is an example of the kind

used in Santo Daime rituals This picture was taken by Juliana Barretto (who worked

then in a research I conducted on indigenous peoples'shamanism in Alagoas),

at Japaratinga...This picture I took during a Nossa Senhora da Conceição ritual

(December 8th/2009). Rituals that celebrate Saint's day are called "hinário" and can

last from 8 to 12 hours.

This is a very special church, located in Japaratinga (about 2 hs from Maceió), it is a

beautiful place. Early morning after this long ritual, two children and a young woman

were baptized, and two couples got married. Very special time! Lot's of joy and

blessings.